User blog:FireworksandChimpanzees/Template tutorial thing
So I've taken to cleaning up the wiki and as such, I've started on the templates. They are hideously underused so I thought I'd blog a kind of 'run-through' (if that) so you can see all the different templates that can be put on a variety of articles: How to add templates: 'Method 1:' For templates that don't require you to fill in any parameters (e.g construction boxes, stubs etc) you can simply place at the top of the page. 'Method 2:' This is probably the easiest and I'm giving you a pictorial: Find the page you want to place a template on and click on the edit button to the right of the title. You'll see the editor. The right of the page has a grey column - the bottom of the column has 'templates' with an arrow pointing down. Click on the arrow (it doesn't matter whether or not you prefer to use source or visual mode.) There are these 4 jigsaw pieces. Ignore those and click on 'Add other templates'. A black box pops up. To the bottom left are the most frequently used templates - if you find the template you're looking for, click on it and proceed to the step after next. Ignore the MAGIC WORDS thing. If you can't find the template you are looking for, type it into the search box. The box will suggest which template you want - you need to find a suggestion that matches with your template. If you can't find it, try spelling it a different way because you can't go to the next step without clicking on the correct suggestion. You don't need to type 'Template:' before the template name. The box should now hold two columns - the left has parameters you need to fill in accordingly. You don't need to fill in 'Box Name' in the infoboxes unless the template name doesn't match with the page name - the template automatically uses the page name. You can press preview so you can see your work on the right column of the box. Press OK when you are done and a little jigsaw piece will pop up on the page (if you are in visual editor). Press 'publish' on the right hand corner and you'll see your work! 'Method 3: ' (Particularly useful for source mode) I've added the links to each template page - on the template page you'll find some code at the bottom which you can copy and paste directly on to the editor. E.g character infobox template: Just fill in the correct information after the equals sign. 'Method 4:' (This is really long winded so try to stay away from it) Where it says you have to type that in source mode. (Alternatively, you can type that into visual mode, switch to source and then switch back to visual which will produce the following step). You should find a green jigsaw piece and if you click on it, then and only then can you edit the parameters (the bits you change for each template). CharNav This should be on every page. Place at the very bottom of the page, to produce this: Click here for the template page. Construction For pages currently under construction, place at the top of the page, to produce this: Click here for the template page. More Content For pages that seriously need people to edit, place at the top of the page, to produce this: Click here for the template page. Stub For pages that have literally no information (stubs), place at the top of the page, to produce this: Click here for the template page. Delete For pages that are repeated or have no use, place at the top of the page, to produce this: Click here for the template page. Speedy Delete I don't really see the use of this but it came pre-loaded so...for pages that you just reeeally want to get rid of, place at the top of the page, to produce this: Click here for the template page. Character Infobox On character pages, place using any of the above outlined methods, which will produce this: Click here for the template page. Fill in the parameters as necessary, leaving blank the ones that are not known. Book Infobox On book pages, place using any of the above outlined methods, which will produce this: Click here for the template page. Fill in the parameters as necessary, leaving blank the ones that are not known. Relationship Infobox On relationship pages, place using any of the above outlined methods, which will produce this: Click here for the template page. Fill in the parameters as necessary, leaving blank the ones that are not known. Setting Infobox On setting pages, place using any of the above outlined methods, which will produce this: Click here for the template page. Fill in the parameters as necessary, leaving blank the ones that are not known. Organisation Infobox On organisation pages (armies, groups, classes and the like), place using any of the above outlined methods, which will produce this: Click here for the template page. Fill in the parameters as necessary, leaving blank the ones that are not known. Businesses Infobox On pages that are about the various businesses in Ferryport Landing, place using any of the above outlined methods, which will produce this: Click here for the template page. Fill in the parameters as necessary, leaving blank the ones that are not known. Item Infobox On item pages (usually magical artefacts, tomes etc), place using any of the above outlined methods, which will produce this: Click here for the template page. Fill in the parameters as necessary, leaving blank the ones that are not known. Event Infobox On event pages (the Everafter War, the tear in time etc), place using any of the above outlined methods, which will produce this: Click here for the template page. Fill in the parameters as necessary, leaving blank the ones that are not known. Real Person Infobox On pages that are about actual people in our world (usually authors), place using any of the above outlined methods, which will produce this: Click here for the template page. Fill in the parameters as necessary, leaving blank the ones that are not known. Small Text On pages that need some sort of footnote or directional sentence after a heading, place to produce this: Click here for the template page. Type whatever your text is into Parameter 1. See also On pages that link directly to another (primarily the relationship sections), place to produce this: Click here for the template page. Type whatever your text is into Parameter 1. Similar On pages that have a similar name to another (or even kind of the same -The Council of Mirrors and the Council of Mirrors), place to produce this: Click here for the template page. Type a small description about the current page into Parameter 1 and a small description about the other page/s with links in Parameter 2. There can be as many page links as necessary in Parameter 2. Text Boxes Generally, if you want to leave some kind of note to say that you plan to return to a page or whatever or even if you want a box about yourself for your user page, place either or on the page. The background and border colours can be changed for both boxes and the Dark Text Box has black coloured font (unchangeable) so you can use a light background. Alternatively, you could use a Light Text Box which has cornsilk coloured font (unchangeable) so you can use a dark background: Click here for the Dark Text Box template page Click here for the Light Text Box template page. The first two parameters allow you to change the colour of the border and the font (use a HEX value if you aren't using on of the Wikia pre-loaded colours) and the third parameter is where you can input your text. Quote This template really only works well with one liners as it stops adhering to the colour combinations after one line which sucks (check Puck's page to see what I mean). User:EstrangeloEdessa dicovered that you can use the template for really long quotes that have many lines if you type in after the line - it basically breaks everything up, so place that nifty bit of code where you would usually press enter. Use it in the following way: place on the page to produce this: in Parameter 1, type the quote; in 2, type the source (usually the person who is saying it) and in 3 type the base source (the book it's from). Click here for the Quote template page. Ignore the categories below; when you insert the corresponding template onto a page, the wiki automatically categorises the article for you :) Category:Blog posts Category:Templates